But I liked the place, so I gave them another chance and ordered the Huevos Mexicana. Here's what it looked like.
Looks pretty similar to the Huevos Motulenos, doesn't it? In fact, it tasted almost identical, except for the fact that it didn't have ham. It DID have all the peppers again, though. This time I also got these little crisp biscuit thingies. They were actually pretty good. But I wouldn't try the restaurant again.
One of the last mornings I was on Playa, I tried the Huevos Motulenos at La Vagabunda.
They were excellent. They didn't call them Huevos Motulenos, but something like Huevos Yucatan...I can't remember exactly, but they were authentic.Walking down the beach in Playa one day, I happned upon Playa Maya, and since I like any restaurant where I can dig my toes in the sand, I tried them out. They brought out the complimentary chips and salsa and they were great. They ranked right up there with Picus.
Then I got the shrimp cocktail...again, very similar to Picus, only they dress theirs up a bit more with the avacado, lettuce and lime.
I had dinner at this place one night and took pictures, but they didn't turn out well. It was good but a bit overpriced. One weird thing about this place...see that lobster-tail-shaped menu under the big sign? That is actually the menu they give you. So when they seat you, they pull up a nearby chair and prop this huge thing on it which makes it kind of inconvenient for patrons and employees to walk around, so you feel like you need to order fast so they'll take it away!
A couple additional notes about Playa...My last night there, a couple from Virginia treated me to dinner at an Italian place called Las Mananitas. It was fantastic. They ordered a seafood feast that was huge. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.
Another tidbit of information: Definitely go to El Fogon if you go to Playa. It is a dumpy little place that serves tacos but it is extremely popular. The food is excellent and it is always crowded. I stopped by when I got off the bus from Chichen Itza to get something to take back to the hotel on Christmas Eve night because I wanted to be there for the little party they were having. El Fogon was packed! Prices are excellent and it should be a definite stop for anyone going to Playa.
So now I'm on Isla. My hotel wasn't ready when I got here in the morning, so I went off in search for breakfast. I wanted to eat by the shore, and chose Las Brisas Grill since it was the only one open that early. I ordered the French Toast. And that's exactly what I got...nothing fancy, that's for sure.
Last time I was on Isla in July, a friend and I went to the Mango Cafe for breakfast. Here is what their French Toast looked like.
Quite a difference. I think I'll stick with Mango Cafe.My first meal was at Valesquez where I had the garlic shrimp and a Mohito. Their salsa with guacamole was excellent and the meal was great, too.
My one last try for Huevos Motulenos was at Buccanero's. Excellent. Since I know how difficult it is to make this dish, that's why I order it numerous times when I go to Mexico. I don't think I want to go to the trouble of making it again myself.
I only went to Picus once on this trip. I was surprised to find that they no longer offer their regular pico de gallo with the complimentary chips anymore. That's one of the main reasons I liked the place so much. Now they just serve a really hot green salsa which is way too spicy for me. They did, however, offer complimentary cups of fish soup. It was good, but not as impressive as La Bruja. Their shrimp cocktail is still very good, though.
Sidebar: I used the bathroom at Picus and saw that they had made some renovations. Hmmm...the person who put up the mirror must have been about 3-1/2 feet tall. I was standing upright when I took this picture and you can see that it's a tad low. Oh, well...one improvement at a time on Isla.
I went to the French Bistro for breakfast one morning and got the French Toast, fruit and crepes with maple sauce. It was okay...very rich. I think I'll stick with the eggs next time.
Okay, so I had a weak moment this trip and had a Bimbo Dog. It was late one night and I was in the hotel working on organizing my photos and had a craving. And since my hotel was only a couple blocks from the Bimbo Dog location, I couldn't resist.
OMG, it was muy beuno. (Don't tell anyone, but I actually went for another one the next night.)It started to rain one evening while I was walking by Las Brisas Grill and so I ordered a pizza since I was craving something that wasn't Mexican or fish. I thought it was going to be a serving for one, but it turned out to be a whole pizza...which wasn't very good. The crust was too doughy and there wasn't much flavor. After the French Toast and now this...I will be checking Las Brisas Grill off my list.
My last breakfast was at Cafe Cito. I ordered the poached egg with ham and cheese.
It's my fault for not asking, but this is not what I thought it was going to be because I've normally loved whatever I've gotten at Cafe Cito. It was just not appetizing for a breakfast at all. I really should have asked. But their jam is wonderful and the coffee was great, so I'm not going to complain. Live and learn.On a final note, here is the best meal I had the whole ten days I was in Mexico...hands down. The grilled fish at Sergio's on Isla. It was tender, flavorful and flaky. Look how huge that thing is...and I ate the whole damn thing. The couple sitting behind me asked me how it was. I told them to order it.
So, I had my ups and downs regarding culinary delights this trip. That's what makes each trip so interesting. Who knows what delectible treats I will encounter next time.
This was not a small project by any means. First I had to go to the grocery store to get all the ingredients. This was my first purchase of tomatillos. (Those things are really sticky, by the way, when you remove the shucks...shells...whatever.)
I had to broil them for about 10 minutes...
Here are some of the ingredients...green onions, shrimp (of course) and cilantro (of course).
This is what it looked like when I blended all the garlic, cilantro and tomatillos together. Kind of a blurry picture, but it was kind of a blurry mess anyway.
Here's what went into the enchiladas...to include Feta cheese. That had me doubtful when I read the recipe. Feta is mainly a Greek ingredient, but I like Feta so I thought it might be interesting in a Mexican dish.
And here's my "artistic" equivalent of Bon Appetit's cover photograph. I even went to the trouble of getting Mexican crema instead of using regular old sour cream.
And here's my review.
YUCK!! WAY too much work for something that turned out to be muy disappointing. I should have known when they called for Feta cheese. My bad.
Here's the non-descript restaurant sign. A very low-key, authentic Mexican place on the south side of Austin. Many of the waitresses didn't even speak English.
I loved the tables.
And here was lunch. Muy delicious! And look! A sure sign of an authentic Mexican restaurant...they wrap their utensils VERY tightly in the thinnest napkin you can find.
And here is the cute couple. (Sidebar to Jeffrey and Erica...take advantage of the time you still look cute when you're munching on food. Just to let you know, that doesn't last forever.)
I've been to Austin a few times, but this is the first time I've been in this area. I loved it! Very eclectic and nostalgic. A lot of the places kept the old vintage signs of the 50s which I can appreciate. A little bit of this and a little bit of that. Being a Route 66 kind of gal, I had to take pictures on my way back.
This is Threadgill's...a landmark restaurant that's been around for about 75 years. According to a website, "Janis Joplin, The Police, Van Halen, Jimmy Buffet, Journey, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, Bob Seger, and Fats Domino are just a few of the thousands of musicians who developed their talents and whose memorabilia grace the walls of the restaurant. Despite a curfew law enacted in 1942, Threadgill's continued to provide a music-loving culture for rednecks, longhairs, beatniks, and hippies. Somehow, this business changed the social culture of the times, and in the 1960's, it was peaceful at the party when the rednecks met up with the longhairs. During this otherwise tumultuous time, Janis Joplin attended the University of Texas at Austin, and it was at Threadgill's where she exploited her hybrid country and blues style that would begin the movement to cross country and rock n' roll."
